Vice President Kamala Harris condemns GOP plan to limit access to abortion in Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Florida. Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday condemned a plan to limit Florida’s access to abortion in the state legislature this year.

Speaking to reporters, Harris said the bills, which aim to keep Florida occupied for 15 to six weeks, were “emergency” and “dangerous.”

“This issue is about women’s autonomy,” Harris said. “Their freedom to decide whether and when to have children.”

Harris noted that after six weeks, many women find out that they are pregnant, although about this time, doctors can detect heart activity.

The Democrat also believes the Florida law change will affect more than four million women of reproductive age. Harris said many neighbors see the Sunshine State as a haven among neighbors like Georgia, Alabama and Texas that have stricter abortion policies.

“Think about geography,” Harris said. “Remarkably, more than three-quarters of the women living under the abortion ban in the United States live in the South. For many, Florida is the closest option for getting help. The six-week ban will act like a regional ban, cutting off access to care for the south.”

Before wrapping up her conversation, the vice president doubled down on a pledge she made in Tallahassee in January to protect access to abortion nationwide and spur federal action through Congress. But with power divided in Washington and the Republican Party firmly in control of Florida, the battle may be fought in the court of public opinion, and some Florida Democrats believe they will win.

“If abortion hadn’t become a problem during the 2024 election,” House Minority Leader Fentris Driskell, Tampa, said. “Ron DeSantis certainly did it now.”

Regardless, Republicans seem to be more unanimous on the issue than they have been in recent months.

Bills in the House and State Senate contain exemptions for rape, incest and fatal fetal conditions – a stumbling block for Senator Kathleen Passidomo, D-Naples, who last week announced her support for the bill.

“Sep. [Erin] Grall had an idea for the bill she was going to file,” Passidomo said. “She came up to me and I said, ‘If you serve it, it’s your choice. It is your right. I would only ask you to include an exception for rape and incest.” This is my #1 priority.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis also spoke out in support of the bill. When asked about it last Tuesday, the Republican said he welcomed “the law to protect life.”

But support from the legislature and the governor may still not be enough to make the bill a reality. The ultimate fate of the six-week ban will likely rest with the Florida Supreme Court. Judges will review the current 15-week ban in the coming months, and if they lift it due to concerns about Florida’s broad privacy protections, six weeks will also expire.

Content Source

California Press News – Latest News:
Los Angeles Local News || Bay Area Local News || California News || Lifestyle News || National news || Travel News || Health News

Related Articles

Back to top button